After Becoming a Succubus, I Was Offered to My Mortal Enemy - Chapter 34

Chapter 34

After choosing the floral crown, Sikong Xue saw that she and Ayuan were in rare harmony.

Ayuan’s face was flushed rosy, making her want to take a bite.

Their wedding date was set, her mother had consented, and Ayuan had not refused.

At this time, she could lightly kiss Ayuan’s cheek… right?

Sikong Xue drew closer unconsciously, her fingertips touching a stray strand of Ayuan’s hair. That strand of silken black hair wound around her finger, carrying a pleasant fragrance.

Aware that Sikong Xue was approaching, the maids had withdrawn at some point. Guessing what Sikong Xue intended to do, Ning Yuan held her breath, feeling both shyness and expectation.

She could feel Sikong Xue’s breath getting closer; the warm air brushed past her ear, making the tips of her ears turn red.

Sikong Xue felt her heart heating up. Before her lips could touch that soft cheek, she heard Sikong Zhi’s voice.

“Elder Sister, Mother sent me to take care of my future sister-in-law.”

Sikong Zhi’s voice was like a bucket of cold water poured over them.

Ning Yuan hurriedly stood up, pulling distance between herself and Sikong Xue. Her heart beat even faster, like a startled young deer.

Sikong Zhi pushed open the door. Seeing her future sister-in-law with a red face, she busily fanned Ning Yuan with her circular fan.

She added with a face of concern: “On such a hot day, why are you keeping the doors and windows closed? Sister-in-law’s face is so red; one look and you can tell she’s about to overheat. Luckily Mother was uneasy and sent me to check.”

As Sikong Zhi spoke, Ning Yuan’s face grew even redder.

Sikong Xue said with a cold face to Sikong Zhi: “Azhi, how can you barge in directly without having someone announce you!”

Being so reckless would only frighten Ayuan.

Ning Yuan stood there, so embarrassed she wanted to sink into the floor.

Sikong Zhi suddenly hid behind Ning Yuan, poking her head out: “Elder Sister, why are you being so fierce? If you’re like this, aren’t you afraid of scaring my future sister-in-law?”

Ning Yuan said somewhat embarrassedly: “What sister-in-law? We aren’t married yet.”

“You can’t run away even if you aren’t married. My elder sister sent out the invitations long ago; now everyone knows you’re getting married.” Sikong Zhi saw Ning Yuan’s face getting redder and redder, and she suddenly felt she had discovered something extraordinary.

“So sister-in-law’s face is this red because she’s shy. You’re getting married anyway, what is there to be shy about?”

It seemed her timing was poor just now, which was why her elder sister was being so fierce.

Sikong Xue said: “You still dare to speak nonsense!”

Ayuan was so easily embarrassed; how did her sister dare to speak like that.

Sikong Zhi didn’t want to test her martial skills against her elder sister at this moment, so she bolted and slipped away to the front hall.

Sikong Xue said to Ning Yuan: “Azhi is used to being wild and has a loose tongue. Don’t take it to heart.”

Ning Yuan whispered: “Which sentence were you referring to?”

Which sentence was the one that shouldn’t be taken seriously…

Sikong Xue pressed her lips together. She also didn’t know which sentence shouldn’t be taken seriously.

Just now, Azhi had almost spoken exactly what was in her heart. She hoped Ayuan would take it seriously, yet she was also afraid Ayuan would be angry.

“Any part you don’t like, you don’t have to take seriously.”

Ning Yuan thought carefully. Although Sikong Zhi speaking like that made her a bit shy, she didn’t particularly dislike it.

“Since you and I are to be married, it is only right for Azhi to call me sister-in-law… unless you are unwilling.”

“How could I be unwilling!”

She wished Azhi could call Ayuan “sister-in-law” every single day.

Hearing Ayuan speak like this, Sikong Xue wished she could get married this very day.

But the wedding robes weren’t finished yet, and many things weren’t prepared. Even if everything was to be kept simple, it couldn’t be too rushed.

Sikong Xue cautiously tested the waters: “Then… can I kiss you?”

Ning Yuan clutched the handkerchief in her hand tightly. She didn’t speak, but in her heart, she was complaining:

This Sikong Xue never used to ask such things in the past. Now that she’s asked, how am I supposed to answer?

If I say yes, will I lose my poise? If I say no, what if this block of wood actually thinks she can’t?

Ning Yuan stole a glance and saw Sikong Xue’s eyes were full of expectation; her heart turned into a soft mess.

Seeing Ning Yuan remain silent, Sikong Xue was instantly dejected. Since Ayuan didn’t say yes, then it was a refusal. Forget it; some things cannot be rushed too much.

Just as Sikong Xue was about to despondently accept that she couldn’t kiss Ayuan, Ning Yuan suddenly let out an angry huff and said, “Blockhead.”

“What did you say?”

Before Sikong Xue could react to what that meant, a fragrance wafted over as Ning Yuan suddenly drew close, stood on her tiptoes, and her soft lips quickly pressed against Sikong Xue’s cheek for a moment.

By the time Sikong Xue reacted, the person had already lifted her skirts and run away.

Sikong Xue stood dazed on the spot, her fingers unconsciously touching the place that had just been kissed. There was still a soft sensation on her face; she wanted to catch Ayuan back and feel it once more.

Ning Yuan ran a long way, clutching her chest and muttering to herself, “What did I just do…”

She had actually taken the initiative to kiss Sikong Xue. It was all the fault of that blockhead Sikong Xue for making her so unpoised.

Sikong Xue wouldn’t secretly laugh at her, would she?

Before Sikong Xue could laugh at her, Ning Yuan couldn’t help but purse her lips and smile. Some things, when admitted openly, seemed much better than hiding them in her heart.

She was getting married to Sikong Xue; would she be able to do whatever she wanted in the future?

After much effort, her cheeks finally stopped burning. Ning Yuan went to the front hall and saw Sikong Zhi sitting there, looking at her with a teasing expression.

“Good sister-in-law, Mother said my elder sister isn’t meticulous enough. There are so many things to prepare for a wedding; she asked me to come and help with the preparations.”

As she spoke, Sikong Zhi took out a small booklet listing the items to be prepared for the wedding.

Songyan, attending on the side, said, “Second Miss is worrying too much. The items to be prepared have already been handled by this subordinate.”

Sikong Xue looked at Ayuan and didn’t explain.

She had prepared the things for marrying Ayuan long ago. It was only because Ayuan was unwilling to marry her that the floral crown had always been kept in the storehouse.

Sikong Xue had secretly thought that once she settled everything, she would go down to accompany Ayuan. At that time, she would bring these things down with her, only hoping that Ayuan would agree to her then.

Now that she had recovered what was lost, except for the wedding robes which needed to be rushed, the rest were already available.

Ning Yuan glanced at Songyan with some suspicion.

The items for a grand wedding were so complex; why had Songyan prepared them in just a few days? Could it be that Sikong Xue had intended to marry someone else before, but just never had the chance, so…

In an instant, the sweetness in her heart vanished, replaced only by endless grievance.

She knew it; such a beautiful phoenix crown couldn’t be made in a day or two. Now that she was no longer the eldest Miss of the Ning family, the floral crown Sikong Xue gave her was also something someone else didn’t want.

Sikong Zhi had been teasing her, but seeing Ning Yuan sitting there in distress, she asked, “Why is sister-in-law unhappy? Is something still missing?”

Before coming, her mother had instructed her to keep a close eye on her elder sister and help her prepare everything thoroughly.

Ning Yuan shook her head and said, “So much has been prepared; it is already enough.”

Sikong Xue sat beside Ning Yuan, gently squeezing her hand, and asked, “Are you missing your family?”

At a time like this, Ayuan was likely missing her family.

Ning Yuan pulled her hand back and said gloomily, “I do miss my family a bit.”

Yes, she still had her family. After she married Sikong Xue, if she could win Sikong Xue’s favor, wouldn’t she have a chance to reunite with her family in the future? Right now, the most important thing was her family; she didn’t want to care about Sikong Xue at all.

Watching Ning Yuan’s hand slip away from her palm, Sikong Xue rubbed her fingers together, feeling a bit dejected.

Sikong Zhi said, “The Western Regions aren’t that far from the capital. If you miss your family, I’ll arrange for people to bring them over.”

“No!” Ning Yuan hurriedly stopped her.

The “family” of the foreign tribes was not the family she wanted… Furthermore, the reason she was able to return in this body was that the original Qilan had committed suicide by starvation because she didn’t want to be offered as a tribute. To push their daughter to such a state, that so-called family would likely not treat her well.

Sikong Zhi looked at Ning Yuan with some confusion. Why was her future sister-in-law just like her elder sister—unpredictable and temperamental?

Fearing she would expose a flaw, Ning Yuan said, “My family in the Western Regions sent me as a tribute from far away. If I hadn’t met someone as good as Sister A-Xue, I don’t know what would have happened to me… In short, I don’t want to see them…”

“Ooh, ‘Sister A-Xue’.” Sikong Zhi looked at her elder sister, only feeling that the address made her teeth ache. “Mother was worried Sister A-Xue would bully you, so she specifically sent me to watch. Now it seems your relationship with my elder sister is so good that my coming here is truly redundant. Sister-in-law, don’t be sad anymore. From now on, Mother and I will also treat you well; this will be your home.”

Sikong Xue twitched the corner of her mouth, echoing with a smile. She always felt Ayuan was a bit unhappy, but after thinking for a long time, she didn’t know exactly why. Could it be that Ayuan was blaming her for not chasing after her just now?

Ning Yuan looked at Sikong Zhi and said, “How could it be redundant? I was just feeling that the manor is too stuffy and wanted you to accompany me for a walk. There’s a rule in our land that the two people cannot meet before the grand wedding.”

Sikong Zhi didn’t hear anything amiss and said, “Is there really such a rule? Fine, I’ll accompany you for a stroll. See if there’s anything else you need to buy.”

Ning Yuan nodded. She also felt this manor was stifling; she really should go out for a walk. In short, she didn’t want to stay with Sikong Xue anymore.

Watching Ning Yuan get onto the carriage, Sikong Xue’s brow furrowed tightly. She couldn’t understand exactly how she had made the person unhappy.

Ning Yuan sat in the carriage, still listless. When they reached a place that sold jewelry, Sikong Zhi helped her down and asked, “Good sister-in-law, what do you want to buy? My mother said that whatever you need these few days, the Grand Commandant’s manor will pay for it.”

Ning Yuan’s eyes felt a bit stinging. “Auntie is truly good to me.”

“What’s this ‘Auntie’ talk? You’re about to get married; just call her ‘Mother’ directly.” Sikong Zhi just found it a hassle.

Ning Yuan said somewhat embarrassedly: “We haven’t married yet; how can I break the rules?”

In her heart, Sikong Yan and her own mother were the same. However, without having performed the ceremony yet, how could she change the address so abruptly?

The jewelry before her eyes was dazzling, yet compared to the phoenix crown Sikong Xue had prepared, it seemed somewhat lackluster. But at the thought that the phoenix crown might have been prepared by Sikong Xue for someone else, Ning Yuan felt sad again.

Maybe she should just buy another set of floral crowns and not touch that one.

Just as she was thinking, a sharp voice rang out:

“You’re right, one shouldn’t change the address before the marriage. After all, there are still these few days left; perhaps the ceremony won’t even be completed.”

Sikong Zhi’s brow furrowed. She reflexively shielded Ning Yuan behind her, drew her sword, and pointed it at Yuchi Jin’s throat, saying, “If my elder sister’s wedding isn’t completed, I’ll have the Princess’s manor hold a funeral!”

Yuchi Jin had guards with her and showed no fear before Sikong Zhi. She looked at Ning Yuan behind Sikong Zhi and said, “Sister Qilan, do you know that there has always been someone else living in your fiancée’s heart? Even if she marries you, she won’t treat you well. If you don’t believe me… you can ask this little general in front of you.”

“You!” Sikong Zhi wanted to argue, but she had no way to. She didn’t know how to lie; she knew that what her elder sister always held in her heart was that sister from the Ning family.

Ning Yuan had already been feeling distressed. Hearing Yuchi Jin speak like this, she truly couldn’t stop her nose from stinging. She had known all along that Sikong Xue had a beloved; there was no need for Yuchi Jin to say it again.

Yuchi Jin saw her sadness and continued: “Sister Qilan, have you heard of the Ning family that was once so prominent? Sikong Xue is marrying you only because you look exactly like that deceased Miss Ning. In her eyes, you are nothing but a substitute. Staying by her side will only lead to grievances. Why don’t you follow me instead? I will definitely treat you well.”

Sikong Zhi’s sword was blocked by Yuchi Jin’s guards. She couldn’t actually kill Yuchi Jin, so she could only say angrily: “Yuchi Jin, if you don’t shut up, I’ll pull out your tongue sooner or later!”

Ning Yuan stared blankly at Yuchi Jin, saying in some disbelief: “You mean, Sikong Xue’s beloved has always been the Miss of the Ning family?”

So that night, when Sikong Xue was drunk and pining… was she pining for her?

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